* AlternateShowInterpretation: The 2005 Broadway revival, in which all of the characters are portrayed as inmates enacting the events in a madhouse.** The 2012 West End production gave a SettingUpdate by placing the show in the 1930s.* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: All over the place. Toby, for one. As the role is vocally demanding, adults are often cast in the part, which makes for the question of whether Toby is a kid or a mentally disabled man. For that note, the motives of the Beadle are ambiguous, whether he's a psychopath who's as bad as the judge or just a police officer who sincerely believes the judge is a good man. Then there's the matter of whether Anthony is a romantic hero who saves Johanna from the Judge or if he's a creepy stalker (though he's ''definitely'' a major step-up from Judge Turpin).** Also, the casting of Sweeney Todd himself varies from actor to actor - George Hearn's Todd is [[BoisterousBruiser powerfully built, with a boisterous,]] pitch-black sense of humor. [[LaughingMad His cackles]] after his HeroicBSOD (Or VillainousBreakdown / [[VillainousBSOD BSOD]] in this case) song end up matching Mrs. Lovett's StepfordSmiler evil. JohnnyDepp's Todd is a waif of a man. He's a quiet, haunted misanthrope ''before'' he snaps, and a barely-functional sociopath after, having to be led around and prodded into action by [[TheDarkChick Dark]] GenkiGirl Mrs. Lovett.** Johanna sometimes portrayed as insane from the beginning of the show. Actually, the libretto, especially "Kiss me", implies her to be at least paranoid and unstable. Also, she is the one who [[spoiler: shoots Fogg]]. Could repeat that again - [[HiddenDepths a demure young noble lady of late XVIII-early XIX century who never left her house and most probably never lifted anything heavier than a needle, never saw any blood and gore and couldn't see even a picture of a pistol]] [[spoiler: shoots Fogg]]. She probably takes more after her father than anybody realizes.*** Johanna can also be interpreted as genuinely in love with Anthony or just using him as a means to escape the Judge. The 2007 film, for example, went with the latter.** Judge Turpin, of all people, gets one depending on whether his song [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMA3fa-yO-k "Johanna"]] removed or not (that being said, it is so often removed [[NauseaFuel for]] [[{{Squick}} a]] [[BrainBleach good]] [[TooSpicyForYogSothoth reason]]). This song shows that he actually tried to resist the temptation Johanna was causing and even seems to imply that she was his MoralityPet. "Johanna, Johanna, I treasured you in innocence and loved you like a daughter".** Does Mrs. Lovett genuinely care about Toby or just as uninterested in him as she is with everyone else other than Sweeney?** The 2014 concert hinted that Toby might be romantically interested in Mrs. Lovett and additionally featured a scene where the Beadle hits on her.* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", "Epiphany", and "A Little Priest", just to name a few. Well... really the entire song list (given the right cast) but bonus points go to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDa9QEJrQQs#t=130s "Johanna (Reprise)"]].* EarWorm: Just ''try'' to get ANY of the songs out of your head after viewing the theater or movie version. It's bloody impossible (but delightfully so).** Beadle deedle deedle deedle deedle dumpling beadle dumpling ba deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle deedle...* EnsembleDarkhorse: Toby in the 2001 concert version, for [[NeilPatrickHarris some reason]].* FairForItsDay: The Judge's sentencing of a young boy to hanging, though he is a four-time offender. This is noticeably shortened to one previous offence in the film.* HoYay: In the movie, there seem to be overtones of this between Beadle Bamford and Judge Turpin. Mostly coming from Bamford's end, though it IS kinda odd that he seems to spend so much time with the judge...** Notably, in the stage musical it's made clear in the reprise in The Barber and His Wife that both Turpin and Bamford have a thing for Lucy. In the movie, however, the lyrics are changed so that only the Judge's affections are mentioned.** He may be only Turpin's [[TheIgor Igor]].* IncestSubtext: Todd's "Johanna (Reprise)", hinting it would be dangerous for him to meet Johanna if she looks too much like her mother...* JerkassWoobie: Mrs. Lovett, who is something of a LoveMartyr.* MagnificentBastard: Sweeney, himself.* MoralEventHorizon: The "Poor Thing" scene with Judge Turpin and Lucy Barker, and the scene where Mrs. Lovett [[spoiler:locks Toby in the meat-grinder basement so Sweeney can kill him]]. ** It was made clear that Mrs. Lovett understood what she was doing, since she was crying throughout. Creepy.** Sweeney [[spoiler: killing the beggar woman, who ironically turns out to be ''his own wife'', in his haste to leave no witnesses...followed by him almost killing ''his own daughter'' for the same reason.]]* MostAnnoyingSound / HellIsThatNoise: The terrifyingly loud, shrill sound of the factory whistle.* {{Narm}}: [[spoiler:Toby]] reciting pat-a-cake before [[spoiler:slitting Todd's throat]] can be this if not executed properly.* NightmareFuel: After you get over the murderous barber and the cannibalism, enjoy your nightmares about [[spoiler:the [[BreakTheCutie mentally deranged manchild.]] I can't sleep, Toby will get me.]]** [[spoiler:Toby]]'s [[IronicNurseryTune pat-a-cake-pat-a-cake]] at the end, Judge Turpin, The tooth pulling scene (in the original), the 2005 revival.** "Epiphany" is particularly horrifying. Watching Sweeney take a flying leap into the pit of insanity, combined with the song's [[MoodWhiplash tendency]] to switch between his declaring vengeance on all of humanity and mourning his wife and daughter.** The beggar woman becomes that much more horrifically tragic when you realize [[spoiler: she's Sweeney's wife and the combination of the traumatic assault and attempted suicide have left her a shell of her former self.]]** Judge Turpin's song ''Johanna'' is often cut...and for good reason. A horror-thriller musical about serial killers and cannibalism is disturbing enough but ''Johanna (Judge's Reprise)'' takes it to a whole new level.* ParanoiaFuel: A trip to the barber's or a pie shop both made very creepy for the Victorian audience. For the typical modern audiences, this story has made the straight razor unsettlingly best known as a weapon of murder.* RomanticPlotTumor: The romance subplot between Johanna and Anthony, particularly in the film where RelationshipCompression comes into play and Anthony is portrayed as an insufferable {{bish|onen}}ie wannabe.** On the other hand, another way to see them is as a parallel to the Todd/Lucy couple ("she was beautiful, and he was naive", particularly if you take the interpretations where Johanna is crazy into account)* {{Squick}}: The whole thing is pretty squicky, but Judge Turpin gets a special mention for "Johanna (Mea Culpa)," where he flagellates himself to orgasm while watching his teenaged ward through a keyhole. While singing. It was cut from the original Broadway production, and, unsurprisingly, it's only occasionally reinstated. When done well, the sequence can be one of the most chilling in the show...which is about serial murder and cannibalism.* WhatAnIdiot:** Anthony when he bursts into Sweeney's barber shop in the midst of his shaving of Judge Turpin. What was he expecting?** One wonders why Sweeney takes Lovett's advice to be patient in plotting his revenge at heart, spending his sweet time singing along with Turpin about pretty women. What was he expecting? Although... see "Squick" above.** Mrs. Lovett, basically keeping Lucy a secret from Todd when she kept coming around her shop. Sweeney's shown no hesitation in killing anyone who's crossed him, particularly in regards to his family. What was she expecting?** Pirelli, confronting a man who's been in prison for fifteen years, and blackmailing him. What was he expecting?* TheWoobie: Toby, poor kid. Johanna too, seeing what she's had to live with.

!![[Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet The 2007 film]]

* AwesomeMusic: Not sure about the original musical, but the quiet interplay between Turpin and Todd in "Pretty Women" is incredibly good, especially as it builds to that crescendo at the very end.* CompleteMonster: Judge Turpin is a corrupt HangingJudge in Victorian London and the man who begins Sweeney's start of darkness when, lusting after the then-younger barber's wife, Turpin has him imprisoned on a penal colony for decades of hard labor so he can seduce his wife. When she refuses, Turpin has her lured to his home under pretense of offering to free her husband- but rapes her instead, and steals her daughter as his ward. Turpin guards her jealously, having a younger sailor brutally beaten for ''looking'' at her and plans to marry her himself. When she refuses and tries to run away he sends her to an asylum where he knows she'll be mistreated. At another point, Turpin sentences a little boy to death by hanging...and then asks his sidekick, the Beadle Bamford, [[KangarooCourt if the boy was even guilty of anything.]]* CreepyAwesome[=/=]EvilIsSexy: Sweeney Todd* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: Besides the fun songs, the theme and setting is grim, and most characters are jerks.* GeniusBonus: Pirelli boasts that he had Shaved the Pope himself, while mocking Sweeney that probably thinks it was only a Cardinal, followed by Toby showing a portrait of the Pope. Given that the story should take place in 1846, it was the same year that Pope Pius IX was elected Pope, which would explain how Pirelli might have really shaved the Italian cardinal Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti who became the Pope, giving him the edge by technicallity.** Although the written "[[FunetikAksent Thanks for da Shave - The Pope]]" on the portrait is rather suspicious on Pirelli's part. Not to mention that we later learn [[spoiler:Pirelli is a [[{{Fauxreigner}} false identity]]]], giving further evidence that it was all just made up.* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct (and sing!): SachaBaronCohen plays Pirelli.* HilariousInHindsight: When the movie came out, it was noted that there were three Harry Potter alums in the film. The actor who played Anthony later played Grindelwald, so that's four. Not to mention that three of the four played Death Eaters, and all their HP characters were, at one point or another, bad guys. Dark Wizard reunion!* LoveItOrHateIt: Critics, general audiences, and Sondheim himself love the film, but [[VocalMinority some serious fans of the stage show]] despise it. The main reason for the divide comes down to the performances, with fans of the film loving the actors in it, and haters feeling they're butchering Sondheim's score.* {{Moe}}: Toby, before he becomes a CreepyChild.* NightmareFuel: The rape scene. Jesus Christ, the rape scene. Some consider it to be ''the'' scariest scene in the movie.** The beggar woman's capacity for this was ramped right up for the movie.*** [[CassandraTruth "City on fiiiiiiiiiire, city on fiiiiiiiiire...MISCHIEF! MISCHIEF!"]]** The scene with Toby in the evil basement, when the poor kid finally learns what's in the pies -- and then has to watch as the just-murdered Beadle Bamford gets dumped right down into the basement with him. And then Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney come down into the sewer looking for him because they want to murder him too.** When Sweeney finds out Lovett lied to him, he takes her off her guard by dancing with her - and throws her into the furnace. Unlike the stage play, we can see exactly what happens as she screams and thrashes while she burns up.*** Imagine being Mrs. Lovett and what your thinking in that situation. The person you love finds out that you indirectly killed their wife by lying to them about if there spouse was alive or not. But suddenly, the person your in love with is okay with that! You start dancing with him and he's saying that she's already dead and that there's no point of worrying about the past. You think your gonna marry him, live together in your dream world when suddenly, he throws you into an open oven. As you're screaming in pain and agony, he closes the oven door with an expressionless look on his face. And thats how you die...* RetroactiveRecognition: Hey girls, it's [[Literature/{{Twilight}} Caius]] playing Anthony!* TearJerker: "Forget my face."** The rape scene.** "Not While I'm Around" is more of a FridgeHorror tearjerker, since it all goes waaaaaay downhill from there. *** Mrs. Lovett, trying to conceal her anguish as she tries to remain cheerful around Toby, sensing that bad things will come for Toby because he voiced his suspicions about Todd. ** Anthony's and Johanna's final interaction on-screen. He assures her that they can leave all the "ghosts" behind. However, Johanna disagrees, believing that the ghosts would never die. Although its implied they did manage to escape Tupin's clutches and move on, Johanna knows that the trauma will always haunt her.** The final scenes with Todd, [[spoiler: taking the dead Lucy on his arms, and Toby slashing his throat and he cradling her while slowly dying]]. Todd may have ended up becoming a psychopath, but the look on his eyes is the look of a completely broken man. Can you say StoicWoobie?----